Jaguars’ OT win over Raiders makes them buyers at NFL trade deadline?
Sports columnist Ryan O’Halloran thinks the Jacksonville Jaguars should be buyers at the trade deadline after improving to 5-3 with OT win at Raiders.
Grading the Jacksonville Jaguars 30-29 overtime victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 2 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The Jaguars (5-3) next play on Nov. 9 at Houston.
Offense: B
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence was able to bounce back from one of his all-too-common mistakes on the goal line in the first quarter (an interception on second and goal when he threw into a crowd) and rebounded to complete 23 of 34 passes for 220 yards.
After a slow start, the running game got untracked and Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten combined for 113 yards and Lawrence added two rushing TDs. Lawrence managed to produce points on six consecutive possessions despite injuries to wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown (not to mention not having Travis Hunter, who went on injured reserve), and left guard Ezra Cleveland.
The offensive line also kept Maxx Crosby from dominating the game, and Lawrence was sacked only once, after getting thrown down 14 times in the previous two games.
Okay, now the reason why it wasn’t an A grade: more pre-snap penalties and Lawrence had to burn a time out in the first half when the play clock dwindled down, and he was purshing it on too many other players. But the good news is that the offense didn’t get a flag in the second half and overtime.
Defense: C
The defense allowed the Raiders to score touchdowns on their last three possessions, counting overtime, and Vegas got their first touchdown on a 95-yard drive in the second quarter, the third time the Jags defense has given up a touchdown drive in excess of 90 yards this season.
Kudos to cornerback Montaric Brown for breaking a three-game turnover drought and for Josh Hines-Allen for 1.5 sacks. Also to DaVon Hamilton for the pass break-up on the Raiders’ two-point conversion attempt in overtime. But the defense had no answer for tight end Brock Bowers (12 receptions, 127 yards) and it’s a good thing quarterback Geno Smith doesn’t play in the AFC South: he’s 49 of 63 (.778) for 479 yards and six touchdowns in two starts against the Jags.
The Jaguars’ difficulties on defense were mitigated by not having linebacker Devin Lloyd for the second game in a row and the injuries in the secondary to cornerback Jourdan Lewis and safety Eric Murray.
Special teams: C
Too tough a grade on a day when Cam Little set the NFL record with a 68-yard field goal, sent the game into overtime with a 48-yarder and was 3 for 3? Yes, because the kickoff coverage wasn’t good and nearly cost the Jaguars the game. Raheem Mostert carried his 31-year-old bones to an average of 40.4 yards on four returns, including a 37-yarder to set up the Raiders’ go-ahead touchdown with 2:00 left and a 54-yarder in overtime to give the Raiders the ball at the Jaguars’ 45 on their final TD drive.
But it’s a great sign for the Jags that Little broke out of his slump in a big way. It won’t be the last time the team needs him to make big kicks.
Intangibles: A
When Lawrence looked in the huddle in the fourth quarter and overtime, he saw Austin Trammell and Tim Jones, two practice-squad players pressed into service because of injuries. Both made big plays: Trammel a 54-yard return to set up the TD drive in overtime and Jones a 15-yard catch-and-run on the field goal drive to end regulation.
The Jags also had to overcome a late injury to Cleveland and lost Lewis early in the game. To overcome that kind of adversity on the road tells you something about the coaching staff and the players who have bought in.
Give Lawrence credit for playing at all. Coach Liam Coen said during the postgame radio show that Lawrence was “puking all night and all morning.”
The NFL season has only reached the halfway mark. But the Jaguars are 5-3, one more victory than last season and well ahead of the pace of 2022, the last time they made the playoffs.